Songs + Lyrics

It was the morning of October 6th, 1960
I was wearing my brown suit
Preparing to leave the House of D
Shook some hands, then adios, Brooklyn amigos
Maybe some of them had hopes of seeing me again
Some even said that my judge–Judge Gerald Culkin–
Wouldn’t play it by the book
Maybe let us off the hook
But, whoa, I knew better

SAL AND SALVADOR

Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood

SAL

The blancos and the nigger gangs
Well, they’d kill you if they could

AUREA

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
Spanish children are taught on their knees to believe
Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the island tonight
Mothers weep, sisters grieve

SAL

Well, I entered the courtroom
State of New York, County of New York
Just some spic
They scrubbed off the sidewalk
Guilty by my dress
Guilty in the press
“Let the Capeman burn for the murders”

Well the Spanish boys had their day in court
And now it was time for some fuckin’ law and order
“The electric chair
For the greasy pair”
Said the judge to the court reporter

SAL AND SALVADOR

Afraid to leave the projects
To cross into another neighborhood

SALVADOR

The newspapers and the TV crews
Well they’d kill you if they could

AUREA

Angel of Mercy, people are suffering
All over the world
A Spanish boy could be killed every night of the week

SALVADOR

But just let some white boy die
And the world goes crazy for blood–Latin blood.

SAL AND SALVADOR

I don’t lie when I speak
Well, they shackled my hands

SAL

A heavy belt around my waist to restrain me

SAL AND SALVADOR

And they shackled my legs

SAL

Hernandez, the “Umbrella Man,” chained beside me
Then we rode that Black Maria
Through the streets of Spanish Harlem